Best Guest Stars on MODERN FAMILY
by muybueno16 | created - 27 Jan 2014 | updated - 07 Jul 2015 | PublicNotable guest stars and recurring characters on the hit sitcom.
1. Benjamin Bratt
Actor | Miss Congeniality
The middle of five children, Bratt hails from a close-knit family. His mother, an indigenous Quechua Peruvian from Lima, moved to the U.S. at age 14. He grew up in San Francisco. He is known for his roles in the films Traffic (2000), Miss Congeniality (2000), and Despicable Me 2 (2013). He is ...
2. Fred Willard
Actor | Best in Show
Fred Willard radiated a unique charm that established him as one of the industry's most gifted comic actors, first coming to prominence as ambitious but dimwitted sidekick Jerry Hubbard to Martin Mull's smarmy talk-show host Barth Gimble in the devastating satirical series Fernwood Tonight (1977). ...
3. Nathan Lane
Actor | The Producers
Nathan Lane is an American actor and singer from New Jersey who is known for playing Timon from The Lion King, Spot Helperman/Scott Leadready II from Teacher's Pet, Max Bialystock from The Producers, Snowball from Stuart Little, Hamegg from Astro Boy and Ernie Smuntz from Mouse Hunt. He is married ...
4. Jesse Eisenberg
Actor | The Social Network
Curly haired and with a fast-talking voice, Jesse Eisenberg is a movie actor, known for his Academy Award nominated role as Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film The Social Network. He has also starred in the films The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland, The Education of Charlie Banks, 30 Minutes or ...
5. Bobby Cannavale
Actor | The Station Agent
In both career and in real life, Bobby Cannavale tends to choose the unconventional way of doing things. In the beginning, his decisions may have cost the dark, swarthily good-looking actor some acting roles and/or good-paying parts but, in the end, his strong work ethic and sense of self, despite ...
6. Mary Lynn Rajskub
Actress | 24
Mary Lynn Rajskub is an American actress, comedienne and singer who is best known as a co-star of Kiefer Sutherland on the popular television series 24 (2001).
Born June 22, 1971, in Detroit, Michigan, Rajskub comes from a family of Irish, Czech, and Polish ancestry. In 1989 she graduated from ...
7. Ernie Hudson
Actor | Ghostbusters
As a child growing up in Benton Harbor, Michigan, Ernie Hudson wrote short stories, poems and songs, always thinking that his words might one day come to life on stage. After a short stint in the Marine Corps, he moved to Detroit where he became the resident playwright at Concept East, the oldest ...
8. Christian Barillas
Actor | Modern Family
Christian Barillas is an actor based in Los Angeles with credits in theater, film and television.
On TV, Christian is perhaps most recognizable as Ronaldo on Modern Family (2009), where he appears opposite Tony winner and Emmy nominee Nathan Lane. In 2013, he was cast as a series regular on CBS's ...
9. Jordan Peele
Writer | Nope
Jordan Peele is an Oscar- and Emmy-winning director, writer, actor, producer, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions. Peele's first feature film, "Get Out," was a critically acclaimed blockbuster, recognized with four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. The film would earn Peele the ...
10. Chazz Palminteri
Actor | The Usual Suspects
Bronx-born and raised Chazz Palminteri was a natural choice to continue the Italianate torch in film. In the tradition set forth in the 1970s by such icons as director Martin Scorsese and actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, John Cazale and Joe Pesci, Palminteri has brought grit, muscle and an ...
11. Jennifer Tilly
Actress | Bound
An actress who always attracts audiences' attention, Jennifer Tilly is by turns funny, sexy, compassionate, compelling and often all at once. She has been playing unforgettable characters ever since she started her career as an actress.
Jennifer Tilly was born Jennifer Ellen Chan in Harbor City, ...
12. Adam Devine
Actor | Pitch Perfect
Adam Patrick Devine is an American actor, comedian, singer, screenwriter, and producer. He is one of the stars and co-creators of the Comedy Central comedy television series Workaholics and Adam Devine's House Party. He played the role of Bumper in the musical films Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect ...
13. Danny Trejo
Actor | Machete
Danny Trejo was born Dan Trejo in Echo Park, Los Angeles, to Alice (Rivera) and Dan Trejo, a construction worker. A child drug addict and criminal, Trejo was in and out of jail for 11 years. While serving time in San Quentin, he won the lightweight and welterweight boxing titles. Imprisoned for ...
14. Peri Gilpin
Actress | Broad City
Born in Waco, Texas, Peri Gilpin grew up in Dallas, where her family encouraged her acting abilities. After studying at the Dallas Theater Center, she pursued acting at the University of Texas at Austin and then at London's British-American Academy. She appeared in guest roles on such popular ...
15. Elizabeth Banks
Actress | The Hunger Games
Elizabeth Banks was born Elizabeth Mitchell in Pittsfield, a small city in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts near the New York border, on February 10, 1974. She is the daughter of Anne Marie (Wallace), who worked in a bank, and Mark Phineas Mitchell, a factory worker. Elizabeth describes ...
16. Matthew Broderick
Actor | The Producers
A slight comic actor chiefly known for his boyish charm, Matthew Broderick was born on March 21, 1962 in New York City, to Patricia Broderick (née Biow), a playwright and painter, and James Broderick, an actor. His father had Irish and English ancestry, and his mother was from a Jewish family (from...
17. Matt Dillon
Actor | There's Something About Mary
Matt Dillon's successful film career has spanned over three decades and has showcased his wide range of dramatic and comedic talents. Dillon displayed his versatility with an arresting performance co-starring as a racist cop in the critically acclaimed Paul Haggis film Crash. This role earned him ...
18. Shelley Long
Actress | Cheers
Shelley Lee Long was born at 7:15 am on Tuesday, August 23, 1949 in Indian Village, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, the only child of Ivadine (Williams), a schoolteacher, and Leland Long, a teacher who had previously worked in the rubber industry. Shelley attended school at Kekionga Junior High for ...
19. James Marsden
Actor | Hairspray
James Paul Marsden, or better known as just James Marsden, was born on September 18, 1973, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Kathleen (Scholz) and James Luther Marsden. His father, a distinguished Professor of Animal Sciences & Industry at Kansas State University, and his mother, a nutritionist, divorced...
20. Billy Dee Williams
Actor | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Billy Dee Williams was born William December Williams on April 6, 1937 in New York City. Billy Dee has notched up an impressive array of film and television appearances over the past 50+ years. He is easily best known to international film audiences as the roguish Lando Calrissian in the last two ...
21. Patton Oswalt
Actor | Young Adult
Patton Oswalt has been headlining at comedy clubs all over the United States since 1996, as well as appearing in his own standup specials on Comedy Central and HBO. He was chosen as Entertainment Weekly's "It" comedian in 2002. He is a regular on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993). His other ...
22. Fred Armisen
Music_department | Portlandia
Fereydun Robert Armisen is an American actor, comedian, and writer. After having begun his career as a musician for groups such as Trenchmouth and the Blue Man Group, he would get his big break as a comedy actor when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 2002, having remained with the...
23. Edward Norton
Actor | Fight Club
American actor, filmmaker and activist Edward Harrison Norton was born on August 18, 1969, in Boston, Massachusetts, and was raised in Columbia, Maryland.
His mother, Lydia Robinson "Robin" (Rouse), was a foundation executive and teacher of English, and a daughter of famed real estate developer ...
24. Jami Gertz
Actress | Twister
Jami Gertz was born on October 28, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Twister (1996), The Lost Boys (1987) and Still Standing (2002). She has been married to Antony Ressler since June 16, 1989. They have three children.
25. Jane Krakowski
Actress | 30 Rock
Jane Krakowski was born in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, to Barbara (Benoit), a college theater instructor, and Edward Krajkowski, a chemical engineer. Her father was of Polish descent and her mother has French-Canadian and Scottish ancestry.
Jane was the winner of the 2003 Tony Award for her ...
26. John Benjamin Hickey
Actor | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
John Benjamin Hickey was born on June 25, 1963 in Plano, Texas, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Flags of Our Fathers (2006) and The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009).
27. Andy Daly
Actor | Review
Andy Daly was born in New York, raised in New Jersey and graduated from Ithaca College. He studied long form improvisation at New York's Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and performed in numerous shows there, including The Real Real World and "The Swarm". Daly also appeared at the 1999 Aspen Comedy...
28. Minnie Driver
Actress | Circle of Friends
Minnie Driver was born January 31, 1970 in London and raised in Barbados until she was seven. Her mother, Gaynor Churchward, was a designer and former couture model. Her father, Charles Ronald "Ronnie" Driver, was a businessman. Minnie's mother was her father's mistress while he was still married ...
29. Greg Kinnear
Actor | As Good as It Gets
Greg Kinnear was born on June 17, 1963, in Logansport, Indiana, USA to Edward Kinnear, a career diplomat with the US State Department, and Suzanne (nee Buck) Kinnear, a homemaker. He has two brothers -- James, vice president-investments at Wachovia Securities in Arizona who was born in 1957, and ...
30. Suzy Nakamura
Actress | Curb Your Enthusiasm
Suzy Nakamura was born on December 2, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), Modern Family (2009) and Dead to Me (2019). She was previously married to Harry Hannigan.
31. Aisha Tyler
Actress | Archer
Aisha Tyler is an award-winning director, actor, comedian, New York Times bestselling author, podcaster and activist. She is an Emmy-winning television host and multiple award-winning voice actor for Archer (2009).
Aisha's feature directorial debut, Axis (2017), was shot in just seven days on ...
32. Rob Riggle
Actor | The Daily Show
Comedian, actor and United States Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Robert Allen Riggle, Jr. was born April 21, 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Sandra (Shrout) and Robert Allen Riggle, who worked in insurance. Riggle has amassed notable television credits and has also earned roles in many ...
33. Will Sasso
Actor | The Three Stooges
Will Sasso was born in Ladner, British Columbia (a suburb of Vancouver), to a family of Italian descent. He grew up respecting comedy of all styles, thanks in part to an unhealthy relationship with the family television that began when Will was around two or three. With his mind consequently bent, ...
34. John Heard
Actor | The Guardian
John Heard was a very talented actor who established himself as a respected thespian in the late 1970s and early '80s, though he is perhaps better known for his turn as Peter McCallister, Kevin McCallister's (Macaulay Culkin) father in the Home Alone (1990) movies.
John was born in Washington, D.C.,...
35. Arden Belle
Actress | Modern Family
Arden Belle is known for Modern Family (2009), NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) and The Fosters (2013).
36. Stephen Merchant
Producer | Extras
Stephen James Merchant is an English actor, comedian, director, presenter and writer.
Alongside Ricky Gervais, Merchant was the co-writer and co-director of the British TV comedy series The Office (2001-2003), and co-writer, co-director, and co-star of both Extras (2005-2007) and Life's Too Short (...
37. Rhys Darby
Actor | Yes Man
Rhys Darby was born on March 21, 1974 in New Zealand. He is an actor and writer, known for Yes Man (2008), Flight of the Conchords (2007) and The Boat That Rocked (2009). He has been married to Rosie Carnahan-Darby since January 25, 2004. They have two children.
38. Barry Corbin
Actor | Tulsa King
Barry's full given name is Leonard Barrie Corbin, and he was born on October 16, 1940 in Lamesa, Texas, to Kilmer Blain Corbin, an attorney & TX State Senator, and Alma Corbin, an elementary school teacher. Barry and his wife Jo share a ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. He says when he isn't working, he ...
39. Michael Benyaer
Actor | Deadpool
Michael Benyaer was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Michael is an actor, known for Deadpool (2016), The Expanse (2015) and Reboot (1998).
40. Matt Riedy
Actor | Devotion
In 2000, while shooting an episode of The Fugitive in Seattle, Director James Frawley told Matt he thought he would be very busy if he went to LA.. Jump to 2005, at age 47, he moved to L.A. with 7 credits to his name and in 2023 has 133. So, Mr. Frawley was correct. Some recent work includes: ...
41. Tony Pasqualini
Actor | NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Tony has performed professionally in theatre, film and television for over forty years. He has guest starred on dozens of televisions programs, including Mad Men, The Mentalist, Modern Family, Cold Case, The Office, Without a Trace, Navy NCIS, West Wing, Frasier, CSI: NY, JAG, Boston Legal, Law and...
42. Justin Kirk
Actor | Angels in America
Born in Salem, Oregon, Justin Kirk spent his childhood in Union, Washington, where he attended grade school on a Native American reservation. Kirk knew from the age of 3 that he wanted to perform, and he made his acting debut at seven in a local college play. At 12, he moved with his mother to ...
43. Philip Anthony-Rodriguez
Actor | The Company You Keep
Philip Anthony-Rodriguez was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is known for The Company You Keep (2023), Good Trouble (2019) and SEAL Team (2017).
44. Lauren Cohan
Actress | The Boy
Lauren Cohan is a British-American actress and model, best known for her role as Maggie Greene on The Walking Dead (2010) and recurring roles on The Vampire Diaries (2009), Supernatural (2005), and Chuck (2007). After her film debut on Casanova (2005) as Sister Beatrice, she starred in the sequel ...
45. David Cross
Actor | Arrested Development
David Cross is an American actor, writer and comedian who is known for playing Tobias Fünke from Arrested Development, Minion from Megamind, Crane from Kung Fu Panda, Ian Hawke from Alvin and the Chipmunks, Yivo from Futurama and Happy Time Harry from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He also acted in Grand ...
46. Tim Blake Nelson
Actor | The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Tim Blake Nelson was born on May 11, 1964 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor and director, known for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) and Leaves of Grass (2009). He has been married to Lisa Benavides-Nelson since June 12, 1994. They have three children.
47. Steve Zahn
Actor | War for the Planet of the Apes
Steve Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, to Zelda, who worked at a YMCA, and Carleton Edward Zahn, a Lutheran pastor at Peace Lutheran Church, Robbinsdale, Minnesota. His career kicked off in his native Minnesota when he crashed the audition of a local stage production of "Biloxi Blues" and won ...
48. Tyne Daly
Actress | Judging Amy
Tyne Daly was born on February 21, 1946 in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Judging Amy (1999), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Cagney & Lacey (1981). She was previously married to Georg Stanford Brown.
49. Jon Polito
Actor | The Crow
A veteran of nearly 100 films, Jon Polito is most recognized for his work with The Coen brothers, as well as his many television appearances as a series regular and guest star. Notable motion picture roles include: Millers Crossing, Barton Fink, The Man Who Wasn't There, The Crow, Blankman, and The...
50. Andrea Anders
Actress | Spirited
1993 graduate of DeForest Area High School, in DeForest, Wisconsin. Attended the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, earning a bachelor degree of fine arts in 1997. From there, attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, earning a master of fine arts in 2001. After leaving Rutgers, headed to ...
51. Ben Lawson
Actor | No Strings Attached
Ben Lawson was born on February 6, 1980 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He is an actor, known for No Strings Attached (2011), Neighbours (1985) and The Little Death (2014).
52. Nicholas Gonzalez
Actor | The Good Doctor
Nicholas Edward Gonzalez is an American actor. He is best known for playing the roles of Alex Santiago on the Showtime television series Resurrection Blvd. and Dr. Neil Melendez on the ABC television series The Good Doctor. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Gonzalez is conversant in Spanish, having lived...
53. Helen Siff
Actress | You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Helen Siff is known for You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), The Karate Kid (1984) and Hail, Caesar! (2016).
54. Monica Young
Actress | Modern Family
Monica Young is a Korean-American, Los Angeles-based actress, singer, award-winning songwriter and producer.
She was born in Germany and grew up mainly in Kansas. Raised by a single mother before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Since moving to LA, she has ...
55. Penn Jillette
Writer | Penn & Teller Get Killed
Penn Jillette was born on March 5, 1955 in Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Penn & Teller Get Killed (1989), Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (2003) and Hackers (1995). He has been married to Emily Zolten Jillette since November 23, 2004. They have two children.
56. Natasha Leggero
Actress | He's Just Not That Into You
Natasha Leggero is an American comedian, actress and writer. She rose to fame after appearing as the host of the MTV reality television series The 70s House in 2005, and as a regular round-table panelist on Chelsea Handler's late-night talk show Chelsea Lately from 2008 to 2014. Leggero created the...
57. Kevin Daniels
Actor | Not Another Church Movie
Kevin Daniels was born on December 9, 1976 in San Diego, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Not Another Church Movie (2024), Will Trent (2023) and Frasier (2023).
58. Garrett Boyd
Actor | Criminal Minds
Garrett Boyd is known for Criminal Minds (2005), Super Clyde (2015) and Modern Family (2009).
59. Lauren Robertson
Actress | Modern Family
Lauren Robertson is known for Modern Family (2009), Sorry for Your Loss (2018) and Baskets (2016).
60. Mandy Levin
Actress | The Resident
Mandy Levin is an LA native, she was born & raised in the Woodland Hills/Calabasas area. Upon graduating from Calabasas High School, she was invited to attend Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She studied at NYU for two years and then transferred to UCLA. She graduated from UCLA's ...
61. Matthew Risch
Actor | Sex and the City 2
Matthew Risch was born on August 20, 1981 in Salem, Massachussets, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Sex and the City 2 (2010), Modern Family (2009) and Test (2013).
62. Olivia Rose Keegan
Actress | Gotham Knights
Olivia Rose Keegan was born in San Rafael, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Gotham Knights (2023), Daisy Jones & The Six (2023) and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019).
63. Nosheen Phoenix
Actress | Modern Family
Nosheen Phoenix is a British Actor/Singer-Songwriter/Model from London, England and is of Pakistani decent.
Prior to her Acting work in the United States she was in a Band in the UK named DeVoted before moving on to her solo music projects. She is a songwriter on Japanese artist Kumi Koda's No.1 ...
64. Rachael Marie
Actress | Modern Family
Rachael Marie is known for Modern Family (2009), The Flash: Crossover (2009) and Hannah Montana (2006).
65. Janelle Marra
Actress | The Shield
Janelle Marra was born on April 27, 1979 in Kern County, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Shield (2002), Abelar: Tales of an Ancient Empire (2010) and The Big Bang Theory (2007). She has been married to Rob Lambert since September 7, 2013. They have one child.
66. Rob Kerkovich
Actor | The Rebound
Rob Kerkovich was born on August 11, 1979 in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Rebound (2009), Cloverfield (2008) and NCIS: New Orleans (2014). He is married to Anjali Prasertong. They have one child.
67. Kevin Hart
Actor | Ride Along
Kevin Darnell Hart is an African-American comedian and actor who is known for his roles in the Jumanji sequels including Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), Undeclared (2001), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Think Like a Man (2012), Ride Along (2014), The Secret Life of ...
68. David Jahn
Director | Day Stripper
David Jahn is known for Day Stripper (2007), Time Trap (2017) and Men, Women & Children (2014).
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